INTERNATIONAL RESEARCHAND STUDIES PROGRAM

(84.017A)

Fiscal Year 2002 New GrantsSummary and Abstracts

International Education Programs ServiceUS Department of Education6th Floor, 1990 K Street, NWWashington, DC 20006-8521

Award Applicant/Project Director Project/Type/Period of Award FY02 Award FY03 FY04

P017A020002

University of ChicagoNELC5801 South Ellis AvenueChicago, IL 60637John R. Perry

Tajik Persian Reference GrammarIM 1 year $146,148

P017A020004

University of WisconsinCenter for Southeast Asian StudiesIngraham Hall R. 2071155 Observatory DriveMadison, WI 53706- 1397Ellen Rafferty

Teaching Authentic Indonesian Listening through Interactive Multimedia IM 2 years $210,000 $166,000

P017A020009

Montgomery County Public Schools850 Hungerford Drive Rockville, MD 20850-1747Pamela L. Garcia

Aligning Advanced Level Foreign Language Instruction with National StandardsIM 3 years

$84,215 $93,000 $92,000

P017A020010

University of Wisconsin, Madison Center for Southeast Asian Studies207 Ingraham Hall1155 Observatory DriveMadison, WI 53706-1397Marlys Macken

The Sound Systems of Southeast Asian Languages: An Interactive, Web-based CD-ROM ProjectIM 2 years $97,400 $99,000

P017A020015

Modern Language Association of America (MLA)26 Broadway, 3rd floorNew York, NY 10004-1789Elizabeth Welles

Survey of Foreign Language Registration in U.S. Colleges and Universities, Fall 2002 RE 2 years

$45,091 $37,950

P017A020016

Carnegie Mellon UniversityModern Languages5000 Forbes AvenuePittsburg, PA 15213-3890G. Richard Tucker

Literacy and Early Language Learning: Acquisition and Assessment RE 2 years

$111,017 $115,000

P017A020017

University of Arizona1717 E Speedway BoulevardSuite 3312Tucson, AZ 85721-0151Alexander Dunkel

Computer Assisted Instructional Materials for Less Commonly Taught Languages IM 3 years

$124,010 $220,000 $227,000

P017A020018

University of California, Los AngelesOffice of Contracts and Grants10920 Wilshire Boulevard, Suite 1200Los Angeles, CA 90024-1406Zilongile Sosibo

Web-based Materials for Teaching Zulu language and CultureIM 3 years $72,934 $31,000 $28,200

P017A020020

San Diego State University5250 Campanile DriveSan Diego, CA 92182-4435Mary Ann Lyman Hager

Computerized ACTFL-based Screening Tool IM 3years

$190,100 $190,200 $195,000

P017A020022

University of Minnesota450 McNamara Center200 Oak Street SEMinneapolis, MN 55455-2070Andrew Cohen

Maximizing Study AbroadRE 3 years

$142,365 $140,000 $146,500

P017A020028

Georgetown UniversityBox 571013 37th and O Sts. NWWashington, DC 20057-1013Michael J. Vande Berg

Assessment of Student Learning Abroad: Addressinga Critical National Need RE 3 years

$203,232 $173,000 $172,500

P017A020029

Yale UniversityLatin American and Iberian StudiesSuite 34234 Hillhouse AvenueNew Haven, CT 06520-8206Patricia Pessar

Development of Curricular Resources: Caribbean Connections, The Dominican RepublicIM 2 years

$45,500 $60,000

P017A020032

Center for Applied Linguistics4646 40th Street NWWashington, DC 20016-1859Margaret Malone

Investigating and Developing a Framework for Optimal Assessment of Oral ProficiencyRE 2 years

$140,010 $123,000

P017A020034

American Council on EducationOne Dupont Circle, NW Washington, DC 20036-1193Madeleine Green

Forging New Connections: A Study in Linking International Strategies and Student Learning Outcomes RE 1 year

$140,500 $79,300

P017A020035

The American Forum, Inc.120 Wall Street, Suite 2600New York, NY 10005Andrew F. Smith

The Search for Identity: Russia and the Commonwealth of Independent StatesIM 2 years $99,500 $100,000

P017A020037

University of New Mexico801 Yale, NEAlbuquerque, NM 87131-1016Rebecca Bannister

Resources for Teaching about the Americas (RetaNet) Latin America Instructional Materials and On-Line Community of LearningIM 3 years

$135,552 $132,100 $135,900

P017A020043

China Institute in America125 East 65th StreetNew York, NY 10021-7088Marlene Kassel

Cross-cultural Connections Along the Silk Road IM 2 years $100,100 $100,000

P017A020044

Georgia Southern UniversityAfricana StudiesP.O. Box 8049Statesboro, GA 30460-8049Frank Arasanying

The Internet Yoruba DictionaryIM 2 years

$112,100 $90,500

P017A020047

Michigan State UniversityInternational Studies and Programs 204 International Center East Lansing, MI 48824-1035David Wiley

Strategic National Planning and Coordination of Distance Learning RE 2 years

$116,475 $79,500

P017A020050

Cornell UniversitySchool of Industrial/Labor RelationsIthaca, NY 14853-3901Lowell Turner

Citizen Participation in the Global EconomyRE 3 years

$105,231 $112,000 $53,700

TOTALS     $2,421,480 $2,194,734 $1,050,800

University of ChicagoNELC

5801 South Ellis AvenueChicago, IL 60637

John R. Perry

Tajik Persian Reference Grammar

I propose to compile a comprehensive reference grammar of modem Tajik (now generally referred to as forsii tojikT or Tajik Persian, i.e., the Central Asian variety of the language known in Iran asfhs). The work would be in English, using both Cyrillic and Perso- Arabic characters for the examples (supplemented by romanized transcription).

A reference grammar is one of the three basic textual tools in language training, supplementing both the instructional manual and the dictionary. There is currently no comprehensive, user-friendly Tajik reference grammar in any language. Of the two grammars available, one is a three-volume work in Tajik from the 1980s, with a specialized terminology and skeletal reference system; this is clearly unsuitable for beginners. The other is a popular translation and adaptation of a Russian descriptive grammar of Tajik from the 1950s; this is Russo-centric, overly concise, and outdated (see Section 3 below).

Since the dissolution of the U.S.S.R., with the emphasis on use of the national languages and increased publication and broadcasting in them, it is no longer feasible to regard Russian as a sufficient lingua franca for the region. Concurrently, the Soviet-era standard for literary Tajik is changing rapidly: many writers today are emulating Persian of Iran or Afghanistan, and materials are being published in Arabic script as well as Cyrillic. At the same time, the available pedagogic materials must continue to accommodate the researcher interested in Soviet-era publications. The desideratum is therefore a comprehensive, up-to-date reference grammar of all grammatical features of Tajik from 1925 to 2000, the data to be drawn from all periods and styles and reproduced in both of the currently used writing systems.

The matrix for this work is already at hand in a 12,000-word linguistic description of Tajik which I have prepared as a chapter of a book dealing with the Iranian languages. This concise and specialized production will need to be expanded, modified, and provided with a comprehensive referential apparatus as detailed below (Section 11).

The final format, besides that of a conventional book, might include a digitized edition for access on CD-ROM or via the Internet. I estimate that, working full-time, the whole task should take me twelve months; I am requesting essentially a replacement of salary for one academic year in order to complete the project.

 

University of WisconsinCenter for Southeast Asian Studies

Ingraham Hall R. 2071155 Observatory Drive

Madison, WI 53706- 1397Ellen Rafferty

Teaching Authentic Indonesian Listening through Interactive Multimedia

This grant conducted primary research on the sound systems of Burmese, Hmong, Indonesian, Khmer, Lao, Thai, and Vietnamese and produced interactive web-based CD-ROM courses for teaching each one. Each CD-ROM includes native speaker, high-quality recordings; words in orthography and International Phonetic Association transcription; an acoustic analysis menu option; recording capability that compares the student's and native-speaker's productions; lessons on consonants, vowels, prosodic system, language, dialects, writing system; orthography and transcription practice ('analyzing') with computer correction; sentences and dialogues; slide show; and help menus. This unique system integrates four ways to learn: (i) Listening to native speaker (and student's) production of words in isolation and sentences; (ii) Seeing the pictures of sounds produced by native speaker (and student) and using the visual information in spectrogram, pitch trace and wave form as a tool for improving pronunciation; (iii) Modeling the sounds-building better approximations of the new sounds through repeatedly recording and comparing the student's and native speaker's production; (iv) Analyzing sounds where the student works on new words, with the computer checking and giving feedback on transcription or spelling. Students can use the CD-ROMs on their own to learn at their own pace and in whichever of the four ways best suits their individual learning style. Staff worked with faculty teaching these languages to insure that data and content for each language covered typical problems encountered by L2 learners. The seven language CD-ROMS are used at SEASSI and UW-Madison. Evaluations by students, faculty, and outside experts are excellent.

Montgomery County Public Schools850 Hungerford Drive Rockville, MD 20850-1747

Pamela L. Garcia

Aligning Advanced Level Foreign Language Instruction with National Standards

The purpose of this project is to develop curriculum materials in Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) to align with national standards for use in Grades 9 to 12. These curriculum materials consist of clear outcome statements for levels 4 and 5 of modern foreign languages and instructional resource guides to assist teachers in implementing the curriculum. At the close of Year 2 of this three-year project, data indicates that substantial progress has been made toward meeting project objectives. Year 2 project objectives relate to three major areas of work:

1. Development and publication of curriculum frameworks and instructional guides that are aligned with national standards for Levels 4 and 5 of Chinese, French, German, Japanese, Russian, and Spanish for students in Grades 9 to12.

2. Field test curriculum and instructional guides for teachers that provide exemplars of units and lessons keyed to the curriculum outcomes. These materials are designed to ensure effective instruction, leading to student success in the attainment of the curriculum outcomes.

3. Disseminate materials to other schools districts.

University of Wisconsin, Madison Center for Southeast Asian Studies207 Ingraham Hall

1155 Observatory Drive Madison, WI 53706-1397

Marlys Macken

The Sound Systems of Southeast Asian Languages: An Interactive, Web-based CD-ROM Project

This grant conducted primary research on the sound systems of Burmese, Hmong, Indonesian, Khmer, Lao, Thai, and Vietnamese and produced interactive web-based CD-ROM courses for teaching each one. Each CD-ROM includes native speaker, high-quality recordings; words in orthography and International Phonetic Association transcription; an acoustic analysis menu option; recording capability that compares the student's and native-speaker's productions; lessons on consonants, vowels, prosodic system, language, dialects, writing system; orthography and transcription practice ('analyzing') with computer correction; sentences and dialogues; slide show; and help menus. This unique system integrates four ways to learn: (i) Listening to native speaker (and student's) production of words in isolation and sentences; (ii) Seeing the pictures of sounds produced by native speaker (and student) and using the visual information in spectrogram, pitch trace and wave form as a tool for improving pronunciation; (iii) Modeling the sounds-building better approximations of the new sounds through repeatedly recording and comparing the student's and native speaker's production; (iv) Analyzing sounds where the student works on new words, with the computer checking and giving feedback on transcription or spelling. Students can use the CD-ROMs on their own to learn at their own pace and in whichever of the four ways best suits their individual learning style. Staff worked with faculty teaching these languages to insure that data and content for each language covered typical problems encountered by L2 learners. The seven language CD-ROMS are used at SEASSI and UW-Madison. Evaluations by students, faculty, and outside experts are excellent.

Modern Language Association of America (MLA)26 Broadway, 3rd floor

New York, NY 10004-1789Elizabeth Welles

Survey of Foreign Language Registration in U.S. Colleges and Universities, Fall 2002

The Modern Language Association proposes (1) to conduct a national survey or census of foreign language registrations in all U.S. institutions of higher education, and (2) to compare the data obtained from the census with other data from the same institutions, obtained from earlier investigations undertaken by the MLA. The most recent previous survey, taken in 1998-99, showed significant shifts in registration totals for several languages: some commonly taught languages showed decreases in enrollment totals, while a number of less commonly taught languages, notably Chinese and Arabic, showed increases. The shift in enrollments described in the 1998-99 survey report led to larger numbers of inquiries by individuals, institutions of higher education, public and private agencies, and by the press than any other information released by the MLA in recent years. Some two hundred press clippings in late 1999 alone attest to the level of public interest in the information. Recent events have now drawn renewed attention to the study of foreign languages. Accordingly, the MLA believes that the status and trends of language registrations in higher education should be monitored once again in the new century. The 2002-03 survey will follow well-tested procedures that in the past--in a series of surveys going back to 1960--have yielded a response of over 97 percent. Therefore, the survey qualifies as a census. For the purposes of this application, however, the terms will be used interchangeably, since most educators regularly refer to the project as a survey. As in the past, the data will be recorded separately for each responding institution, language by language, with graduate registrations separated from undergraduate. Summary tables will present the data from 2002-03 alongside comparable data from the preceding study in the series, the survey of 1998-99. Other tables will also compare the 2002-03 results with those of five other prior surveys, four of which were undertaken at ten-year intervals.

In addition to the survey, the MLA will use the survey database to create a special list of less commonly taught languages, showing for each language the names of the institutions that report registrations in that language, and the undergraduate and graduate registration figures. The institutional names will be presented in alphabetical order, and an index will be prepared showing the names of the languages arranged in descending order of total registrations. Lists will also be prepared showing the total number of institutions at which each language is taught, with tabulation of these numbers by state, and in comparison with the numbers recorded in previous surveys.

Carnegie Mellon UniversityModern Languages

5000 Forbes AvenuePittsburg, PA 15213-3890

G. Richard Tucker

Literacy and Early Language Learning: Acquisition and Assessment

The proposed research examines the progress of students participating in long well-articulated sequences of Japanese and Spanish foreign language instruction with a particular focus on the development of literacy skills in their target languages. This research will: (1) provide a model of longitudinal program documentation and evaluation--appropriate for the assessment of literacy skills in both cognate as well as non-cognate languages--that can be exported to other sequential foreign language programs in elementary and middle school; and (2) contribute to a knowledge of the instructional practices, development and transfer of literacy skills from English to a commonly taught cognate language, Spanish, which uses a similar alphabetic representation system, and to a less-commonly taught non-cognate language, Japanese, which uses a logographic system of kanji as well as two non-Roman alphabetic systems, hiragana and katakana.

This research will enhance our understanding of the 'literacy milestones' of children studying a foreign language across the years, how these milestones may differ depending on foreign language, first language, and amount of study, and the classroom practices that encourage or prevent literacy growth.

University of Arizona1717 E Speedway Boulevard

Suite 3312Tucson, AZ 85721-0151

Alexander Dunkel

Computer Assisted Instructional Materials for Less Commonly Taught Languages

This three-year project seeks to strengthen an increasingly critical area of the U.S. educational infrastructure by expanding our national capacity to offer the Less Commonly Taught Languages (LCTLs) in a wide variety of learning environments. In order to develop cadres of professionals in various fields who possess significant language proficiency in LCTLs, innovative programs, materials, and instructional delivery systems must be created that promote increased cooperation and collaboration among secondary and postsecondary institutions, government agencies, businesses, and other organizations concerned with language learning and sustainment training.

The materials to be developed will use our original language teaching authoring software, MaxAuthor, created at the UA over the past decade in a series of successful projects. The four languages to be included in the project based on their educational and national importance are: are Ukrainian (Level 1), Turkish (Level 2), Kazakh (Level 3), and Cantonese (Level 2). The materials will be published by UACLP on DVD and on an E-commerce Internet host.

In addition to materials development, we will continue to make MaxAuthor free for non-commercial use to authors worldwide who wish to create their own lessons and provide technical support and improve MaxAuthor so that it can be used to create lessons for hundreds of languages supported by Windows2000/XP such as Indic and bi-directional languages (e.g. Arabic, Hebrew). By providing the completed courseware and the capacity to develop additional lessons to NASILP member institutions, this project will promote the study of a wider range of LCTLs in secondary and postsecondary institutions and beyond.

University of California, Los AngelesOffice of Contracts and Grants

10920 Wilshire Boulevard, Suite 1200Los Angeles, CA 90024-1406

Zilongile Sosibo

Web-based Materials for Teaching Zulu Language and Culture

The goal of this project is to develop interactive Web-based materials for teaching Zulu language and culture. Analyzing, editing, and formatting videos and stills were completed in June 2003. During the summer of 2003 the P.I. created and recorded Zulu text for stills. The P.I. and the translator are currently performing two tasks: (1) Editing raw stills audios and formatting them to QuickTime, and (2) Creating Zulu texts and synchronizing them with corresponding stills and audio. All the videos have been edited and synchronized with Zulu and English texts at this time. The project has acquired additional personnel, including Dr. Mills from Loyola Marymount University in California, Individual Technical Assistants (ITCs), and the programmer. So far three tasks have been completed: (1) The prototype template which the programmer is currently building on the computer, (2) Integration of videos and stills, culminating in nine modules, and (3) The Introductory Module of "Family and Social Tree" and Module 1 of "Greetings." The P.I. is finishing Module 2 of "Introductions." In 2003 the P.I. presented the Zulu materials at numerous conferences and workshops. On April 30, 2004 she will present a paper and a demonstration lesson at the African Languages Teachers' Association (ALTA) conference at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Future tasks involve developing the remaining modules. Upon completion in March 2005, Zulu instructors will pilot the materials and provide feedback. The materials will be available to the public by July 31, 2005. Funds for this project have been utilized efficiently and no changes have been made on the original budget.

San Diego State University5250 Campanile Drive

San Diego, CA 92182-4435Mary Ann Lyman Hager

Computerized ACTFL-based Screening Tool

Since 2001, five institutions (DLI, California; BYU, Utah; LARC, California. CAL, Washington DC; and ACTFL, New York) working as a consortium have been designing and creating proficiency screening tests in Arabic and Spanish (ILR levels 0-2) for use on a nationwide scale. With additional funding from the Department of Defense, items to test Arabic (ILR levels 3-5) and Persian (ILR levels 0-5) are to be created. LARC has committed to supplying items for ILR levels 3-5 for Spanish. Thus, the final products will be diagnostic oral proficiency screening tools at all levels of three languages (Spanish, Arabic, and Persian). Tests of speaking skills are to meet the following requirements: The tests must be "low-stakes" instruments, designed to serve a variety of purposes. Primary among them is that these tests would be predictors of performance in ACTFL Oral Proficiency Interviews. Another purpose is to screen applicants who would participate in the specially-tailored programs off the Center for the advancement of distinguished language proficiency, funded by the U. S. Department of Defense (National Security Education Program). They must provide benchmark information to foreign language programs on the progress of majors and other foreign language students on their oral proficiency. They must be adaptable to high-volume testing purposes, such as performance testing for programmatic improvement. They must serve as preliminary or screening tests of oral skills. They must be web-delivered, with recordings of oral performances saved to a database on a web server, for easy rating and accessibility for linguistic research.

University of Minnesota450 McNamara Center

200 Oak Street SEMinneapolis, MN 55455-2070

Andrew Cohen

Maximizing Study Abroad

This research study investigates the impact of the Maximizing Study Abroad guidebook series on study abroad outcomes and programs. It is divided into three sub-studies focused on study abroad students, program professionals, and language instructors.

The Students' Guide study asks: Do students use the strategies in the guide, how, in which contexts, and how frequently? How effective is the guide in developing language skills and culture learning? Eighty-six university students studying abroad in Spanish- and French-speaking countries during Spring or Fall 2003 participated in the study. Half of the students received the Guide, participated in an orientation, and submitted bi-weekly electronic journals. Data includes pre-post measures of language and culture learning.

The Program Professionals' Guide study examines: How do program professionals use the guidebook, what are their reactions, and does it provide them with new insights? The sample consisted thirteen abroad advisors (U.S. based and on-site) each of whom received the Guide and an orientation. They were to use the guidebook materials in pre-departure, on-site, and re-entry activities with students. Data includes monthly journals and an exit questionnaire.

The Instructors' Guide study explores: How do language instructors use the guide? Does the Guide provide them with new insights? How do they use it with students who may not study abroad? After receiving an orientation one French and three Spanish instructors incorporated guidebook materials into their language course curriculum. Data includes monthly journals while teaching, focus groups, an exit questionnaire and interview.

Georgetown UniversityBox 571013

37th and O Sts. NWWashington, DC 20057-1013

Michael J. Vande Berg

Assessment of Student Learning Abroad: Addressing a Critical National Need

During the past year, we have moved forward with this project as planned. We have fully integrated Dickinson College, the fourth partner in our consortium, into the research agenda. Dickinson students, along with students from Georgetown and the other consortial institutions, have been participating in the formal testing, which began, as planned, in fall 2003. Participating students have completed pre- and post-tests of the Simulated Oral Proficiency Interview (SOPI), the second-language instrument, and of the Intercultural Development Inventory (IDI), the instrument that measures gains in intercultural sensitivity. We are also in the process of administering the post/post-tests of the IDI at the students' home campuses; in doing so, we are piloting the on-line version of the IDI, a step we have taken in order to increase student participation in the project. We convened the final of the project's four workshops in spring 2003. Like the other three workshops, it was designed to allow faculty from the four consortial institutions to identify learning competencies that they believe students acquire through studying abroad. The project's outside consultants, working with other members of the Research Team, have identified four competencies that all of the faculty groups identified as important in the learning of their majors abroad. The consultants have now completed the development of a third instrument, a qualitative interview guide designed to measure the extent to which students in the four broad disciplinary areas do in fact acquire, develop or enhance the four shared competencies in studying abroad.

Yale UniversityLatin American and Iberian Studies

Suite 34234 Hillhouse Avenue

New Haven, CT 06520-8206Patricia Pessar

Development of Curricular Resources: Caribbean Connections,The Dominican Republic

This project published Caribbean Connections: The Dominican Republic, and a Spanish Companion Reader to fill gaps in secondary and community college Spanish language, and area studies curricula. An essential curricular resource, Caribbean Connections: The Dominican Republic broadens the thematic and geographical areas of courses with Latin American content taught throughout the United States by embracing the diverse history and culture of the Dominican Republic through both factual and fictional accounts.

Grant-funded activities began in August 2002. Six Master Teachers attended a curriculum-writing workshop at Yale and provided feedback on the material selected for the book and developed lesson plans. In fall 2002 and winter 2003, readings, lesson plans and oral history interviews were adapted to a 9-12 grade and community college level. In Spring 2003, the draft materials were tested in 9-12 grade classes (and one community college class) in Connecticut, Massachusetts and New York.

Grant-funded activities continued throughout Year Two, when recommendations were evaluated. Changes to the draft volume were made throughout 2003 and 2004. By July 2004, the final English volume had been copyedited, and in fall 2004 a Spanish Companion Reader was created and copyedited. Both editions were published in July 2005 and a comprehensive dissemination and promotional plan were launched soon thereafter.

Center for Applied Linguistics 4646 40th Street NW

Washington, DC 20016-1859Margaret Malone

Investigating and Developing a Framework forOptimal Assessment of Oral Proficiency

The Center for Applied Linguistics (CAL), in collaboration with the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL), under U.S. Department of Education and the International Research and Studies grant (P017A020032) developed a replicable framework describing the delivery of level-specific oral proficiency assessments via the World Wide Web.

The research undertaken to produce the framework and task specifications involved analysis of the characteristics of tasks used in oral proficiency assessments, including telephonic and technology-mediated oral proficiency instruments. This analysis determined the optimal task characteristics so that specifications can be written for the production of test questions that most efficiently obtain ratable speech samples and recommendations for the best ways to use a Web-delivered format for this test, including hardware, software and data storage and coding issues.

The main goal of the Computer Assisted Screening Tool (CAST) Framework development project was to design a test development and delivery model that could be adapted for use in any language. The framework’s adherence to emerging technical standards of Web-delivered assessment will encourage institutions to share tests and components of tests that have been developed for Web delivery and to contribute to the development of standards where gaps exist.

The framework guides test developers to produce affordable, accessible assessments of oral skills. Using the World Wide Web to provide optimized oral proficiency assessments will create new possibilities for encouraging institutions to increase their attention to the improvement of speaking skills, thus strengthening our national language resources.

American Council on EducationOne Dupont Circle, NW Washington, DC 20036-1193

Madeleine Green

Forging New Connections: A Study in Linking International Strategiesand Student Learning Outcomes

This study, which drew on earlier research conducted by the American Council on Education (ACE) on the internationalization of U.S. colleges and universities, focused on student experiences and beliefs regarding international education at "highly active" institutions. ACE identified institutions as highly active in internationalization by creating an internationalization index, (rating scale), and using data collected from 752 institutions in a national survey conducted in 2001. Institutions in the top two quintiles of scores on the index were characterized as "highly active," and the rest as "less active." The data sources for this report were 9,729 responses to a survey of students attending eight of the highly active institutions identified through the index, including two of each Carnegie type, and focus groups conducted at these same institutions.

This study also described differences between students from highly active institutions and those from less active institutions, when such differences were notable. To make such comparisons, the researchers used data from the 2002 national student survey that was part of the larger study to map internationalization in U.S. colleges and universities. These comparisons should be interpreted with caution, in light of the small sample size (1,250 student respondents drawn from 752 institutions).

Finally, the study presented recommendations for campus practice based on findings.

The American Forum, Inc.120 Wall Street, Suite 2600

New York, NY 10005 Andrew F. Smith

The Search for Identity: Russia and the Commonwealth of Independent States

The American Forum for Global Education is proposing to develop a curriculum guide which will primarily focus on the fast-changing events in 12 nations categorized as (a) Russia and the former Soviet Union Republics of Belarus, Ukraine, and Moldova; (b) Transcaucasian repubIics of Georgia, Armenia and Azerbaijan; and (c) Central Asian nations of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan.

University of New Mexico801 Yale, NE

Albuquerque, NM 87131-1016Rebecca Bannister

Resources for Teaching about the Americas (RetaNet) Latin America Instructional Materials and On-Line Community of Learning

The Resources for Teaching About the Americas Network (RetaNet) creates and disseminates instructional materials on Latin America to secondary educators. The site is also designed to be a wisdom community where teacher users can rate and comment on the resources and how they use them, and engage in dialogues. The RetaNet website with new content is posted at http://retanet.unm.edu. The upgraded RetaNet site includes:

* 53 News in the Classroom (NIC) lesson plan compilations based on LADB news stories have been produced and posted. There are over 100 lesson plan suggestion modules (containing standards-based classroom activities with related resource links) associated with the 53 NICs.

* Complimentary access for teachers to LADB's archive of articles dating from 1986, and full text news stories on the LADB web site (currently 302 registered teacher users located in 42 states and 2 US military bases abroad);

* A searchable archive of 200 visual images to enhance teaching;

* A searchable database of curriculum materials, containing 1519 items, of which 1149 can be requested on-line to borrow;

* A searchable database of 87 lesson plans about Latin America; the largest collection of Latin America and US-Mexico border lesson plans in English on the World Wide Web;

* A rating system for users to rate lesson plans, NICs, curriculum resources, photos, etc. on the site, and a user interface with each teaching resources encouraging users to discuss and collaborate on lesson plan development.

China Institute in America125 East 65th Street

New York, NY 10021-7088Marlene Kassel

Cross-cultural Connections Along the Silk Road

A two-year project which created a user-friendly curriculum book suitable for high schools, community colleges and universities nationwide. The guide, From Silk to Oil, presents timely, accurate and interesting information about cultural interconnections in Asia, past and present, through a multidisciplinary, multicultural approach. The comprehensive set of materials include academic essays, a chronology, lesson plans, glossary, bibliography and a CD-Rom of the guide with hotlinks. This state-of-the-art curriculum guide is a substantial contribution to the educational field in the United States, and will continue to be a valuable resource for youth as they live in a world increasingly moving towards greater global interaction, exchange and dependence.

Georgia Southern University Africana Studies

P.O. Box 8049 Statesboro, GA 30460-8049

Frank Arasanying

The Internet Yoruba Dictionary

The Edeyede Project is conceived as an inter-institutional initiative designed to cater to the learners' perspectives and concerns on Yoruba instruction. Working with the knowledge of three specific areas of concern identified by Yoruba learners, particularly in the United States: i) acquisition and retention, ii) form and function, and iii) usage and culture, the Edeyede Project was initiated with funds from Yale University, and later transferred to Georgia Southern University as a unique solution to these concerns. Supported by several institutions with strong curricula in Yoruba language and culture, the Project is constructed as a computer-based language consortium that saves as the clearing-house for the Internet dissemination of Yoruba-English bilingual dictionaries. The main goal of the Edeyede Project is to compile via computer network a pair of basic bilingual dictionaries (Yoruba-English and English-Yoruba) and a monolingual Yoruba dictionary that will include technical/dialectal terms and cultural context; and also be suitable for students studying Yoruba. These dictionaries will be made available on-line via a search engine with wildcard capability, on CD-ROM and in inexpensive print editions. The project will use a Web interface to dictionary databases to enable native speakers and scholars all over the world to submit additions and corrections to the dictionaries with an ordinary Web browser, an approach pioneered by the Kamusi Swahili Dictionary Project at Yale. This modality seeks to achieve a cohesive integration of content-based language material with culture-supported communication as a model for maintaining language knowledge within and outside the classroom. In addition to usage examples and basic grammatical information invaluable to learners, the dictionary databases will also contain information primarily of interest to linguists and scholars. Yoruba is one of the major languages of the African continent and is spoken by more than 35 million people. Interest in Yoruba is growing in the United States and around the world due to its importance as a language of commerce in West Africa, as well as a thriving Yoruba literature. It has become one of the most studied and researched African languages; yet there are few up-to-date Yoruba dictionaries available and none that includes specialized terms and dialectical forms that are widely used in instructional texts and newsprint. This is particularly a problem for students of the language. Since the language data will be stored digitally, the completed project will provide a comprehensive--yet convenient and effective -modality for the delivery of computer-mediated language and cultural materials to all scholars with interest in Yoruba.

Michigan State UniversityInternational Studies and Programs

204 International Center East Lansing, MI 48824-1035David Wiley

Strategic National Planning and Coordination of Distance Learning

This two-year project will undertake research, studies, national meetings, and policy papers to increase the range and accessibility of offerings in the less commonly taught languages (LCTLs)--an urgent and increasingly important national priority. The project will contribute to the critical national need to train more people in LCTLs by promoting effective, strategically-focused, and efficient planning among the U.S. Title VI National Resource Centers (NRCs), Language Resource Centers (LRCs), and International Business Centers. This will enable the nation to better utilize the scarce resources for foreign language learning at the higher education level. This project will accomplish five activities regarding the teaching of LCTLs in the United States: (1) Conduct a survey and create a database about existing distance learning (DL) courses in LCTLs and plans for developing new DL courses by the relevant Title VI NRCs of each world area and LRCs as well as other relevant major universities offering LCTLs; (2) Coordinate the development of systematic criteria for prioritizing LCTLs for instruction and materials development by consulting Title VI language coordinators to better serve the national need; (3) Commission a paper on the current status of coordination of LCTL offerings and materials development in Title VI and other area centers for each world area; (4) Convene Title VI NRC language coordinators and directors at annual meetings of area studies associations to determine priorities among the many LCTLs of their area (using the criteria for assessing the importance of the languages developed in activity #2 above) and compile a report for each world area; ( 5 ) For the high priority LCTLs identified in activity #4, produce a report about courses being offered and learning materials that are available to identify lacunae in courses, materials, and training opportunities; (6) Convene an Expert Policy Roundtable to develop recommendations about strategically meeting national needs to increase learners' access to LCTL courses, including a mix of distance learning, summer intensive courses in the United States and abroad, academic year programs, and other offerings. All of these survey and research activities have a common purpose: to provide the nation, its universities, and especially the Title VI National and Language Resource Centers (as well as other language programs) with the data and the strategic choices with which to conduct their own strategic planning for creating DL and other new learning materials and resources in a nationally coordinated manner. This planning will increase the opportunities for more U.S. learners to be trained in LCTLs even if they live at a distance from campuses where LCTL courses are being offered. This project is being organized jointly by four Title VI National Resource Centers (NRCs) at Michigan State University in African, Asian, Latin American and Caribbean, and International Development with Women and International Development Studies. It will be implemented in partnership with the two other MSU Title VI centers - the Center for Language Education and Research (CLEAR) and the Center for International Business Education and Research (CIBER) - and also in collaboration with the National Foreign Language Center (NFLC), the National Council of Organizations of Less Commonly Taught Languages (NCOLCTL,), National Foreign Language Resource Center at University of Hawai'i, and the Cenfer for Advanced Research on Language Acquisition (CARLA) at University of Minnesota.

Cornell UniversitySchool of Industrial/Labor Relations

Ithaca, NY 14853-3901Lowell Turner

Citizen Participation in the Global Economy

Globalization, on many dimensions, has outpaced conventional understandings. Existing perspectives in international relations, trade theory, and international political economy provide useful starting points, but cannot help us understand the growing push for democratic regulation and citizen participation in the global economy. For this, we need new research, concepts and college courses on global politics and the global economy. The purpose of this project is to integrate recent research findings on democratic participation in global institutions, to conduct original research along those lines, and to identify appropriate literature and develop course curricula for courses on the global economy. Economic globalization, global political institutions and transnational political actors have outgrown the limitations of existing frameworks for teaching these subjects at the college level. Our research is directed at identifying the process by which political actors transform themselves into global actors, how they go about engaging global political institutions or engaging trans-nationally in the politics of other countries, and the effects of the democratic development of a global political arena. We use this original research and available secondary literature to locate or produce new course material, and to create new curricula to teach undergraduates and graduate university students about the dynamics of global politics.